Tubing is used extensively in hospitals to convey fluids for various purposes including introducing fluids into the body and withdrawing fluids from the body. In body fluid drainage systems, for example, in chest drainage apparatus, an elastomeric tube is connected at one end to a chest drainage catheter connected to the plural cavity of the patient. The opposite end of the tube is connected to a fluid drainage collection bottle, bulb, or chamber. Such drainage apparatus may collect drainage either by the effects of gravity alone or by vacuum assist.
In such chest drainage systems, fibrin or a blood clot may occlude the tube or restrict the fluid discharge rate of flow. It has been common practice for the attendant to displace or clear the contents of the tube and remove the obstruction by hand. Because the tubing is generally made of a material which produces an outer surface with a relatively high coefficient of friction, such as polyvinyl chloride, latex, polyurethane or silicone, the fingers are generally first lubricated by applying an oil or grease to them. Then, while squeezing and compressing the tube between the fingers, the fingers are advanced longitudinally along the tube to move fluid and other matter through the tube thereby removing the obstruction or increasing the fluid flow rate. Clearing solids, semi-solids or liquids from resilient flexible tubing in various other fluid systems is often accomplished in a similar manner. If a lubricant is not employed, the friction between the fingers and tubing would cause chaffing of the skin. Even when a lubricant is used, some chaffing of the skin occurs and the tubing may not be cleared as well as it should be. Also, the use of lubricants is time consuming since it requires the application, as well as, removal of the lubricant from the hand.
In order to avoid the above-identified problems associated with the stripping or clearing the contents of tubing, various hand tools having rollers have been proposed. The tubing is clamped between the rollers and then the rollers are moved longitudinally along the tubing to move the tubing contents longitudinally therealong. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 5,881,916, issued on Mar. 16, 1999 to M. G. Madjarac, describes a tube unclogging device which has a first roller mounted on one side of a U-shaped body and another roller mounted on an opposite side of the U-shaped body. The U-shaped body is suitably flexible so that the application of force onto the outer surfaces of the U-shaped body will cause the rollers on one side of the body to be pushed toward the rollers on the opposite side of the body. As a result, a tube can be placed between the rollers. The movement of the rollers along the length of the tube will cause the liquids in the tube be expressed outwardly therefrom.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,266,751, issued on May 12, 1981 to D. S. Akahavi, teaches the use of a pair of rollers that are flexibly connected together. The rollers can be applied over the length of the tube for the purposes of expressing the contents of the tube. The roller is moved in a direction with thumb motion across another roller and across an adjacent table surface longitudinally disposed relative to the roller in a top arm. A clamp advances toward a blood analyzing machine without buckling the tubular reservoir. The device is useful for one-handed movement toward a dispensing end of a flexible tube blood reservoir.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,164,223 teaches another type of item having a pair of hinged rollers which are used to flush tubes. The instrument is for use with surgical procedures, such as clearing and dislodging the contents of chest tubing, catheters, common duct T-tubing and IV tubing. The pair of rollers are mounted on shafts which are hinged together at one end. A cylindrical handle is mounted on the opposite end of one shaft. An opposed thumb rest is mounted on the end of the other shaft. The hand of the user grasps the handle and the thumb rest for moving the rollers into and out of engagement with opposite sides of the tubing. The instrument compresses the tubing and is moved a desired distance along its length for propelling tubing contents.
U.S. Pat. No. 2,245,030, issued on Jun. 10, 1941 to Gottesfeld et al., teaches a portable pair of rollers that are used for flushing fluid-bearing tubes.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,296,150, issued on Oct. 2, 2001 to B. Farris, describes the use of a pair of rollers with a hinge that allows the rollers to open for the purposes of placing a tube between the rollers.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,648,701, issued on Mar. 14, 1972 to M. Botts, describes a forcep instrument for striping the contents of flexible tubes. One arm of the forceps has a roller mounted thereon. Another arm of the forceps also has another roller resiliently mounted thereon. The closing of the forceps will create a compressive force upon the tubing for the purposes of flushing fluid from the tubing.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,563,171, issued on Jan. 7, 1986 to R. O. Bodicky, describes an apparatus for conveying fluids through a tubing. A tube clearing sleeve surrounds the tubing. The sleeve has a slick inner surface and a coefficient of friction less than the outer surface of the tubing. The sleeve is compressed between the fingers to compress the tubing and the compressed sleeve is advanced along the tubing to displace contents in the tubing.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,129,330, issued on Oct. 10, 2000 to G. Guala, describes a roller clamp that is used for regulating fluid flow through an elastically deformable tubing. A roller adjustably resides over a surface of the tubing so as to suitably compress the tubing for controlling fluid flow.
It is an object of the present invention to provide a device for removing fluid from tubing.
It is another object of the present invention to provide a fluid stripping device that is relatively compact, easy to use and inexpensive.
It is another object of the present invention to provide a fluid flushing apparatus that is self-locking upon the tube.
It is another object of the present invention to provide a fluid removing device that effectively prevents air from passing into the tubing during the stripping operation.
It is a further object of the present invention to provide a tube flushing device which includes wheel which will not slide on the tube and will not kink the tube.
It is another object of the present invention to provide a tube flushing apparatus which maintains the tube in line during the flushing of the tubing.
It a further object of the present invention to provide an apparatus which can maintain a fluid-receiving bulb in proximity to the human body.
It is another object of the present invention to provide an apparatus in which multiple fluid-receiving bulbs can be organized and matched to receiving pouches.
It is a further object of the present invention to provide an apparatus which allows the user to properly sleep, walk, shower, and carry out daily activities without interference by a hanging fluid-receiving bulb.
It is a further object of the present invention to provide an apparatus which prevents gravity, or other pulling forces, from affecting the fluid-receiving bulb.
It is a further object of the present invention to provide an apparatus whereby an end of the tube can be securely affixed by stitches to the human body.
It is another object of the present invention to provide an apparatus whereby air is prevented from entering the human body while not reducing the flow the drain tube.
It is still another object of the present invention to provide an apparatus which is easy to use, relatively inexpensive, easy to manufacture and disposable.
These and other objects and advantages of the present invention will become apparent from a reading of the attached specification and appended claims.